NU Shuts Down Bethune-Cookman in Record Fashion

Lincoln, Neb. --- The Nebraska men's basketball team turned in a record-setting defensive performance, holding Bethune-Cookman to a Devaney Center record-low 26 points in a 70-26 victory Saturday.

The Huskers, who improved to 7-1 on the season, topped their previous best, set less than two weeks ago when they tied the Devaney Center record by allowing Delaware State to score just 39 points. The 26 points were the fewest scored by an NU opponent since 1941.

Jason Dourisseau led all scorers, recording a season-high 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor. Dourisseau and Nate Johnson, who both came off the bench, were the only Huskers to play more than 20 minutes in the contest, as all 15 active players saw time on the court.

Dourisseau added six rebounds and John Turek led everyone with 10 boards, marking his third double-figure rebounding effort of the season. Behind Dourisseau and Turek, Nebraska dominated the glass, earning a 50-28 advantage.

The Huskers fell behind early as neither team was able to get the hot hand. After trailing 6-0 with just 3:38 gone in the first period, Nebraska rallied and scored 35 of the next 43 points to take a 35-14 lead at the intermission. Nebraska held BCC to just one field goal in the final 11:53 of the first half. The Wildcats (0-5) ended the drought with a basket by Anis Taylor with 12 seconds remaining in the period. Taylor led Bethune-Cookman with 12 points, the only Wildcat in double figures.

It was more of the same in the second period, as BCC did not score a point for the first 10:49. The lackluster scoring helped NU outscore the Wildcats 40-2 over a time of 22:42 spanning the first and second half.

Bethune-Cookman, which came into the game averaging just 49 points per game, was held to just 12 points in the second period, another Devaney Center record. Bethune Cookman missed its first 16 shots of the second half while NU hit its first four and 7-of-11 shots to start the frame. NU finished the game hitting 45.2 percent while holding BCC to just 21.5 percent shooting from the floor, a building record low.

Nebraska returns to action on Monday, Dec. 22, when it plays host to Lipscomb at the Devaney Center. Nebraska will look to run its home winning streak to eight games this season and 10 overall dating back to last year. The game will tip off at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard live on the Pinnacle Sports Network and Huskers.com.

Nebraska postgame Notes
** Nebraska limited Bethune-Cookman to just 26 points, a Devaney Center record and the fewest points allowed by the Huskers since defeating Kansas State 33-23 on Jan. 17, 1941. The previous Devaney Center low was 39 points by Delaware State in a 68-39 loss on Dec. 8. The Huskers also scored just 39 points in the building against Kansas State as part of the 1984 Big Eight Tournament.

** Bethune-Cookman hit just 11-of-52 shot attempts, setting the Devaney Center record for lowest field goal percentage at 21.2 percent. The previous low was 23.0 percent by Delaware State in 1995.

** The 12 points allowed in a period tied the Devaney Center record, orgininally set by Arkansas on March, 17, 1987 in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

** The Huskers' 44-point margin of victory was the highest in four years under Coach Collier. The previous high was a 28-point victory against Texas A&M on Feb. 28, 2001.

** The last time NU won by at least 44 points was 1983, when the Huskers defeated Augustana (S.D.) by a  113-69 score. The last time NU defeated a Division I opponent by at least 44 points was 1977 in a 104-60 victory over Montana State.

** The Huskers improved to 9-0 all-time against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponents, and 2-0 this season. NU also defeated Delaware State earlier this year, 64-39, in Lincoln. The meeting with Bethune-Cookman was the first ever for the Huskers.

** NU allowed a season-low points in each half. The Huskers allowed just 14 points in the first half and surpassed the mark by allowing just 12 points in the second frame. It was the fourth and fifth time this season the Huskers limited opponents to fewer than 20 points in a period.

** Junior John Turek had 10 rebounds to lead the Huskers, marking his 15th career double-figure rebounding effort and third this season.

** Nebraska recorded 50 rebounds as a team, reaching the 50-rebound plateau for the first time since Feb. 26, 2000, against Colorado.

** Sophomore Jason Dourisseau recorded a game- and season-high 14 points on  6-of-11 shooting from the floor. He was the Huskers' only scorer in double figures, and added six rebounds in 22 minutes.

** All 15 active players saw action for the third time this season. Freshman James Reynolds scored his first career points, going 2-of-3 from the floor with two rebounds and one steal in three minutes.

** Turek recorded a career-high four assists to lead the Huskers. NU had 14 assists on 28 baskets, while BCC had six assists on 11 baskets.

** NU has led by double figures in every home contest this season, including 35-14 against BCC.

** The Huskers reached 70 points for the fourth time this season, and second straight game.

** Nebraska improved to 7-0 under Coach Collier when holding opponents to 50 points or less, including 2-0 this season. Collier's team have gone 37-0 when allowing 50 or fewer points over the past 14 years.

Nebraska Coach Barry Collier Quotes
"I thought we were defensively really strong. At the same time, Bethune Cookman had an off night and they missed shots. We largely rebounded, but I was disappointed in the turnovers, but we got better."

On positives from the game
"Obviously you have to be in the right position defensively and concentrate on the defense. We were able to do that after a week off for final exams, and that was a positive. We were very unselfish with the basketball, but that showed in some of our turnovers. We scored the ball well overall, and got to play a lot of people again."

On coming back from the break
"In some ways we looked really rusty for the first 25 minutes, with 11 turnovers. There were a lot of factors with the break and finals, but we are not going to look for an excuse. That is not going to happen. We didn't play well in those areas.

On Jason Dourisseau
"He is getting more confident. Obviously he is more aggressive. He like going to the rim after the other night. Also his teammates are finding him. I feel good when we put him in the game. Nate Johnson and John Turek also played well. Those three stood out in my mind, put several guys played well at times."

Nebraska Player Quotes
Sophomore Guard Jason Dourisseau
On what NU learned from this game
"A game like that helps us stay sharp, execute better, play solid defense and just play how we're expected to play all the time."

On Bethune-Cookman Offense
"I don't think they tried to take it to the basket as much as they could have, part of that was our defense.  I'm just glad we got another "W" like we did and played the defense we did."

On Confidence
"I'm feeling a lot more confident when I play and I'm comfortable with the minutes I'm getting.  I need to work on my mid-range game. I take it to the basket a lot.  When the opportunity presents itself to shoot jumpers, I take it, but it's something I need to keep working on."

Junior Forward John Turek
On holding the team to 26 points
"I think it's a combination of a few things.  A lot of teams struggle with offense on the road, maybe not that bad, but it is a struggle, but our defense also came out intense tonight.  We played impressive defense and made them shoot over us and kept them from scoring.   We weren't satisfied being up at the first half, so we had to make sure we kept intensity through the rest of the game."

On possibility of a making better offensive team struggle
"We've been going out and getting into people and playing good defense.  We might not be able to hold a better team at that margin of points, but we certainly make them shoot over us."

 

Bethune-Cookman Head Coach Clifford Reed
On the game.
"We played very poorly on the offensive end.  A lot of that is attributed to their defense, but we also missed some uncontested layups and wide open shots on a very consistent basis.  Right now, we've lost some confidence.  I have some guys who have proven that they can make shots and have made shots in the past." 

On Nebraska's defense
"Early on, they did rattle us with their run-and-jump.  It took us out of our rhythm, and caused us to turn the ball over a few times.  I thought that was key, because once they took us out of that rhythm, we never did get it.  And then we started pressing.  And they were also playing good defense.  It was a combination of those things."